1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to devices for accessing the abdominal cavity. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to apparatuses and methods for safely inserting an access assembly into an abdominal cavity.
2. Background of Related Art
Assemblies configured for accessing a body cavity are known. Many of such access assemblies include a rigid cannula or sleeve that is inserted through an incision created by a surgeon in the tissue of a patient. The incision into the abdominal cavity may be created by the surgeon using a scalpel or other bladed instrument. Alternatively, the cannula may include a piercing tip, i.e., a blade or pointed distal end. Creating an incision through skin into the abdominal cavity using a scalpel risks damaging underlying internal organs. Creating an incision using a scalpel may also result in plane shifting of the tissue layers around the incision. Plane shifting of the tissue makes inserting of a non-cutting cannula through the incision more difficult. Although using a piercing cannula eliminates the possibility of tissue plane shifting, forcing a cannula through the abdominal wall and into the abdominal cavity may result in puncturing of internal organs and other peripheral tissue damage.
Therefore, it would be beneficial to have a device and method for safely inserting an access device through the tissue and into the abdominal cavity of a patient.